History - DBQ Pride

Dubuque LGBTQIA+ History

1977 – Early Gay Rights Efforts Begin

The Dubuque Human Rights Commission (DHRC), established in 1967, was originally focused on addressing discrimination based on race, sex, and physical disability.
In 1977, the Commission unanimously voted to recommend expanding its jurisdiction to cover discrimination based on age. This marked one of the first discussions about broadening human rights protections in Dubuque.
However, LGBTQ+ rights were not yet included, and it would take nearly three decades before sexual orientation and gender identity were legally recognized.

Inspired by LGBTQ+ activism in Des Moines and Iowa City, local advocates Ginny Lynns and Stacie Neldaughter organized Dubuque’s first-ever gay rights march on September 19, 1987.
Approximately 30 people participated, marching to raise awareness about LGBTQ+ issues.
The march was met with aggressive hostility from onlookers, who shouted obscenities and threw eggs and rocks at the demonstrators.
Despite the backlash, this event laid the groundwork for future LGBTQ+ activism in the city.

May 1988: The second gay rights march was held, with attendance surging to 575 participants, showing increased local support.
August 1988: Opposition to LGBTQ+ rights also intensified. Over 1,000 people, led by Sandy Kirkbride, a prominent conservative activist, signed a petition urging the Dubuque City Council to abandon discussions of adding sexual orientation protections to human rights laws.
The Dubuque Human Rights Commission (DHRC) formally rejected the proposal to add sexual orientation to its protected categories, though it agreed to continue discussions.
January 1989: Kirkbride attempted to push for a public referendum to block any future LGBTQ+ protections, but her request was ruled illegal under Iowa law.
September 16, 1989: The third annual Gay/Lesbian Pride Rally & March took place. It featured a march through downtown Dubuque and a rally in Washington Park, where future U.S. Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (then an activist from Wisconsin) gave a keynote speech.

May 15, 1989: The Dubuque City Council, in a 4-3 vote, narrowly rejected a proposal to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment, housing, public accommodations, and credit.

Opponents, including Mayor Brady, claimed that homosexuality was a choice and that business owners had the right to refuse service.
Supporters compared the LGBTQ+ rights struggle to the Black civil rights movement of the 1960s.
If passed, Dubuque would have been only the second city in Iowa, after Iowa City, to enact such protections.

1999: Another attempt at passing a local LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination ordinance was defeated.
2004: After years of stalled progress, the Dubuque AFL-CIO and League of Women Voters publicly supported expanding civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ residents.
2005: Despite a well-organized public awareness campaign, the City Council again voted against expanding protections.

In February 2006, the Dubuque City Council finally passed an ordinance adding sexual orientation as a protected class under the city’s human rights ordinance.
The vote was 6-1 in favor, marking the end of a nearly 20-year battle.
The new law provided legal protections against discrimination in housing, employment, public accommodations, credit, and education.
However, religious institutions were granted an exemption, meaning they could still refuse to hire LGBTQ+ individuals based on religious beliefs.

On April 3, 2009, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that denying marriage licenses to same-sex couples violated the state constitution.
Iowa became the third U.S. state (after Massachusetts and Connecticut) and the first in the Midwest to legalize same-sex marriage.
The ruling faced intense opposition from conservative groups, but Dubuque saw several same-sex couples marry in the city shortly after the decision.

2016: The City of Dubuque earned a score of 82/100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index, recognizing its LGBTQ+ inclusion efforts.
2016: Co Dubuque, a local LGBTQ+ advocacy group, was founded and hosted a “Beauty Workshop” to help trans and gender-nonconforming individuals build confidence.
2017: Dubuque held its first official LGBTQ+ Pride Month events, sponsored by local businesses and nonprofits.
2019: Key City Pride was founded by Corey Young and Drevonte Morse, launching Keychella Fest, a three-day LGBTQ+ festival.

On June 27, 2021, Dubuque hosted its first-ever Pride Parade, organized by Key City Pride.
The parade started at 5th & Main Street, passed the Solidarity mural at Five Flags Civic Center, and ended at the Grand River Center with a festival featuring drag performances.
Parade participants included religious leaders, community organizations, and LGBTQ+ residents.
The George Washington Middle School Gay-Straight Alliance marched alongside visitors from Waterloo and Platteville.
Rev. Dr. Lillian Daniel of First Congregational United Church of Christ publicly stated:
“Jesus would stand with the queer community. We’re just trying to be faithful.”

In 2024, DBQ Pride was founded to foster community-building among LGBTQ+ residents.
Founders: Danny Sprank (Dubuque City Council member), Chuck Harris, and Sara Eliot Steuer.
The organization aimed to combat isolation by hosting events beyond the annual Pride Festival.